Lesson 30 : Size and Shape

Lesson 30

Size and Shape

1. amorphous: without definite form; shapeless

2. gargantuan: huge; gigantic; prodigious. The word comes from Rabelais sixteenth-century political satire, Gargantua and Pantagruel

3. iota: very small quantity; a jot. iota is the ninth letter of the Greek alphabet

4. lissome: supple; limber; flexible

5. macrocosm: the great world; the universe. The opposite of this is microcosm

6. magnitude: greatness of size or extent; importance of influence

7.magnum opus: a great work, especially of art or literature

8. microcosm: a little world; miniature universe. It is the opposite of macrocosm.

9. micrometer: an instrument for measuring very small distance, angles, diameters. In Latin, micro means small and meter means to measure.

10. scabrous: rough with small points or knobs; bumpy; scaly; full of difficulties. In Latin, scabere means “to scratch”

11. scintilla: the least trace; a particle. In Latin, scintilla means “a spark”

12. serpentine: evilly cunning or subtle; treacherous; coiled; twisting.

13. sinuous: bending; wavy. The word sinus (“a cavity in the bones of the skull”) is related to sinuous.

14. smidgen: a small amount; a bit. This word is related to “midge” or midget.

15. tenuous: unsubstantial; flimsy; physically thin.

Exercises

I. Which word comes to mind?

In each of the following, read the statement then circle the word that comes to mind.

1. A writer spends ten years preparing his masterpiece.

                                                (macrocosm, magnum opus, micrometer)

2. Cyclops had an enormous appetite

                                                (scintilla, gargantuan, microcosm)

3. A graceful gymnast

                                                (lissome, smidgen, iota)

4. An indefinite proposal

                                                (serpentine, scabrous, tenuous)

5. The actress adopted a sexy walk

                                                (amorphous, magnitude, sinuous)

6. A doctor carefully measures the size of the tumor

                                                (amorphous, micrometer, scabrous)

7. The overthrow of the government began with the act of treachery

                                                (serpentine, scabrous, lissome)

8. An insignificant amount

                                                (sinuous, scintilla, gargantuan)

9. A face knotted with bumps and rough spots

                                                (amorphous, tenuous, scabrous)

10. A trace of seasoning

                                                (microcosm, smidgen, magnum opus)

II. True or False?

In the space provided, indicate whether each statement is true or false?

____ 1. The microcosm of the man reflects the macrocosm of the universe

____ 2. The magnitude of the Grand Canyon frequently awes travelers

____ 3. A tenuous idea is often offered hesitantly

____ 4. Two words in this lesson that are closely related are smidgen and iota

____ 5. The amorphous scheme was spelled out in such detail that it was grasped by all

____ 6. The scabrous surface reminded one of the shiny smoothness of a marble table

____ 7. The million dollar gift exemplified his gargantuan kindness

____ 8. The lissome ballerina glided through her performance with unparalleled grace

____ 9. Fielding’s Joseph Andrews was his magnum opus.

____ 10. Frank’s tenuous explanation was hardly enough to justify his outburst

III. Fill in the Blank

Insert one of the new words in the proper space in each sentence below

1. Because of the _________________ of the offense, the judge set a high bail

2. Space exploration advances suggest that our civilization has developed in a very limited ___________________.

3. Mr. Ludwig would not admit that his business success had been achieved through _________________ tactics

4. The race was so close it would take a(n) ___________________ to measure who was the winner

5. Margaret Mitchell’s __________________ Gone With the Wind was her only book

6. There was not a _____________________ of truth to the accusation

7. The team had a(n) ________________ hold on first place until a rash of injuries sent them reeling.

8. The commencement speaker told the graduates that the road to success is full of __________________ turns.

9. Cleaning up after the parade proved to be a __________________ task.

10. The strange creature we found on the beach was so __________________, we could not identify its species.

IV. What’s the Antonym?

Which of the new words is most nearly the opposite in meaning to the one provided?

1. sturdy                                  ________________________

2. diminutive                           ________________________

3. smooth                                ________________________

4. having form                         ________________________

5. wooden                               ________________________

6. straight                                ________________________

7. inflexible                             ________________________

8. insignificance                      ________________________

9. universe                               ________________________

10. amateur attempt                ________________________

Size and Shape:Lesson 17

Lesson 17

Size and Shape

1. archaeology: the systematic recovery by the scientific methods of material evidence remaining from man’s life and culture in past ages, and the detailed study of this evidence.

2. elfin – fairylike; delicate; small and charmingly merry or mischievous. In folklore, an elf was a tiny, often prankish fairy who lived in the woods and possessed magical powers, like Shakespeare’s Puck.

3. infinitesimal – too small to be measured. Mathematicians, philosophers, and photographers are accustomed to dealing in concepts that range from the infinite (too large to be measured) to the infinitesimal

4. Lilliputian – very small; tiny, narrow-minded; petty. In Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, the hero was shipwrecked on the island of Lilliput, the inhabitants of which stood six inches tall.

5. megalopolis – an extensive, heavily populated, continuously urban area, including any number of cities. This larger than a metropolis since it includes an inner city, suburbia, and any adjacent towns.

6. minimize – to reduce to a minimum; decrease to the least possible amount or degree; belittle. Again we meet a synonym for “small.” minim, this time combined with the suffix ize , “to make,” and denoting as in the definition for infinitesimal, making something appear to be of the least possible amount, value, or importance

.

7. minutiae – small or trivial details; trifling matters. The word is not restricted in meaning to unimportant details since a seemingly minor point can prove to be of major significance

8. palatial – like a palace; large and ornate. A closely related word derived from the same Latin root palatine (palace), refers to royal privileges, a high official, a Roma soldier as well as to the chief of the seven hills upon which Rome was built.

9. peccadillo – a small sin or fault. We admire the person who dresses impeccably, “without fault,” perhaps are tolerant to the peccadillos of our friend; and probably forgive the person who offers his peccavi (confessions, or literally “I have sinned)

10. picayune – of little value or account; petty or prejudiced. Originally, this meant a coin of small value. Inevitably, the meaning was transferred to a person of low esteem because of his or her criticism or bias.

11. simulacrum – a slight, unreal, or superficial likeness or semblance; an image or representation of something

12. soupcon – suspicion; a slight trace or flavor; a very small amount.

13. teeming: swarming; prolific or fertile. The Old English word terman meant “to produce offspring.” Indeed, an obsolete meaning of teeming was “to become pregnant and produce offspring.” What is perhaps more interesting is that our word team also comes from the Old English team, which meant “childbearing” or “brood”

14.titanic: of enormous size, strength, or power. In classical mythology the Titans were a race of giants who ruled the world before gods and goddesses. Cronus, perhaps the most famous (think of our word chronology), swallowed all his children in an attempt to avert a prophecy of doom, but one son, Jupiter (Zeus), survived and eventually overthrew his father.

15. vista: a far-reaching intellectual view, a view or prospect, especially one seen through a long, narrow avenue or passage; a mental view extending over a long period of time or embracing many remembrances or experiences.

Exercises

I. Which Word Comes to Mind?

In each of the following, read the statement, then circle the word that comes to mind.

1. The myriad molecules on the head of a pin

                                                (infinitesimal, vista, picayune)

2. The two cities have grown so quickly you can hardly tell where on ends and the other begins.

                                                (megalopolis, Lilliputian, palatial)

3. Most of their points were scored when out best man was in the penalty box

                                                (amplitude, elfin, minimize)

4. Mac stumbled once over his lines but otherwise his performance was perfect

                                                (minutiae, peccadillo, simulacrum)

5. This is the biggest rocket in our arsenal.

                                                (soupcon, titanic, teeming)

6. The seven dwarfs of Disney

                                                (Lilliputian, palatial, vista)

7. I was bogged down in petty details.

                                                (megalopolis, minutiae, titanic)

8. We took a guided tour of Buckingham Palace

                                                (teeming, palatial, soupcon)

9. The defense kept objecting to every minor point that was raised in court

                                                (picayune, elfin, peccadillo)

10. After climbing to the top of the mountain, we looked out on a marvelous landscape.

                                                (minimize, teeming, vista)

II. True or False?

In the space provided indicate whether each statement is true or false

____ 1. An elfin creature is huge and lumbering

____ 2. Soupcon is the call to dinner

____ 3. You should feel complimented if your mental powers are called Lilliputian

____ 4. Vista galleries are so called because they attract many visitors.

____ 5. A teeming street is dilapidated and deserted.

____ 6. It took a titanic effort to open the car door under water.

____ 7. The amplitude of the harvest gratified the farmers.

____ 8. In summers, we seek to trade our megalopolis for the country air.

____ 9. Don’t minimize Fermi’s contributions to the development of the atomic bomb.

____ 10. My parents are willing to overlook an occasional peccadillo.

III. Synonyms and Antonyms

Find and circle two words on each line which are either synonyms or antonyms.

1. infinitesimal                        titanic              pompous          hopeful

2. swarming                             cooperative      teeming           moderate

3. economy                              amplitude        pettiness          range

4. picayune                              searching         serviceable       unbiased

5. exaggerate                           imitate             minimize          assemble